


Let's Be Us Again

by SupremeFamilyFan



Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Happy Ending, Making Up, Romance, surprise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26488159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SupremeFamilyFan/pseuds/SupremeFamilyFan
Summary: Pride & Loretta talk through things after the events of 4x8.
Relationships: Dwayne "King" Pride/Loretta Wade
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Let's Be Us Again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kellz1pt5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kellz1pt5/gifts).



* * *

**Let's Be Us Again**

* * *

**Disclaimer** **:** As always, I own nothing!

 **Rating:** General Audiences

 **Genre:** Romance/Family

 **Pairing:** Dwayne "King" Pride/Loretta Wade

 **Lyrics Used:** Lonestar - "Let's Be Us Again" | Brad Paisley - "We Danced"

* * *

The TruTone bar was closed when Loretta Wade arrived. The bar was empty with the chairs flipped upside down on the table tops. But as she quietly slipped into the bar she was met with soft piano music. Looking around the room, she was not the least bit surprised to see the man that she loved seated at the piano. They had been through a lot the last few days - especially with Danny's abduction. That was what had brought her to the bar, now. She knew she'd been too hard on Dwayne after Danny had been taken. She knew that Dwayne loved Danny as much as she did. And, while she had been right about Danny looking up to Dwayne, what she had failed to mention was how grateful she was that Danny had such a strong role model in the man that had become his father-figure. God only knows what could have become of Danny without Dwayne's influence. As she watched Dwayne continuing to play, she smiled softly as she realized that he was so stuck in his own head that he had not yet registered her presence. She loved listening to him play so she just stood and silently listened. And, then ... something she never expected happened. He began to sing.

_"Tell me what I have to do tonight."_ Dwayne crooned, softly. _"'Cause I'd do anything to make it right."_ As he sang, Loretta felt the claws of guilt grip and pull at her heart. She knew exactly what he was singing about. _"Let's be us again."_ As he sang, Loretta agreed with the last line. She hated how she treated Dwayne after Danny'd been taken. Especially after she'd seen the lengths to which Dwayne had gone to save him. _"I'm sorry for the way I lost my head."_ Loretta ached at those words. Yes, Dwayne had thrown the book out of the window to get Danny back. But she knew that _she_ had been the one to lose their head. Not Dwayne. _"I don't know why I said the things I said."_ Loretta just silently wiped away the few stray tears that had stolen from her eyes before slowly approaching the piano. _"Let's be us again."_ Dwayne sang gently.

_"Here I stand ... with everything to lose."_ Loretta sang, softly, as she set her purse down on the floor by the piano. Dwayne stopped playing as he watched - in wide-eyed shock - as Loretta moved to stand behind the piano as she locked eyes with him while she continued to sing. _"And all I know is I don't wanna ever see the end."_ Dwayne sat frozen as he watched the woman he loved singing to him with tears in her eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing and hearing. _"Baby, please!"_ Loretta sang as she reached her hand out to Dwayne who cradled it with his own. _"I'm reachin' out for you."_

Dwayne joined in and sang along with Loretta. _"Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?"_ Dwayne didn't know why Loretta would be asking that when _he_ had been the one to blame for putting Danny in jeopardy. Nevertheless, he looked her straight in the eyes as they both sang _"Let's be us again."_

 _"Us again."_ Loretta hummed, gently.

Releasing Loretta's hand, Dwayne resumed playing before singing again. _"Look at me, I'm way past pride."_

_"Isn't there some way that we can try?"_ Loretta sang in response.

_"To be us again."_ They finished the line together.

_"And even if it takes a while."_ Dwayne crooned with a soft smile as he continued to hold her gaze. _"I'll wait right here until I see that smile."_ He continued to sing. _"That says we're us again."_

 _"Here I stand with everything to lose."_ Loretta sang to the man that she loved. After everything she'd said and the way that she'd hurt him when Danny'd been taken, she was terrified of losing the wonderful man before her. _"And all I know is I don't wanna ever see the end."_ She sang, not even caring to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.

_"Baby, please!"_ Dwayne's crooning voice all but begged and pleaded as the tears fell from his own eyes. _"I'm reachin' out for you!"_

_"Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?"_ They both sang together. _"Let's be ... us!"_ They belted out in perfect harmony.

For a while, neither of them sang or said a word as they just gazed into one another's eyes as Dwayne continued to play. _"Oh-oh."_ Loretta hummed, softly, with a gentle smile.

_"Baby-baby, what would I do?"_ Dwayne crooned.

_"I can't imagine life without you."_ They both sang together. It was true. Neither Dwayne nor Loretta could imagine life without the other by their side. And, unbeknownst to one another, they were both silently hoping and praying that they would never have to find out what that life would be like.

_"Here I stand."_ Dwayne sang softly as he looked into the eyes of the woman he loved. _"With everything to lose."_ He sang out his plea for her not to leave him. _"And all I know is I don't wanna ever see the end."_ Pride couldn't imagine how he would ever survive losing Loretta.

_"Baby, please!"_ Loretta sang out as if the very notion of leaving Dwayne was utterly absurd. _"I'm reaching out for you!"_

 _"Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?"_ Dwayne sang, his voice trembling with a rare vulnerability. He hated feeling vulnerable. But, for Loretta ... He would be vulnerable.

_"Oh, here, I am ... "_ Loretta sang back. _"I'm reaching out for you! So won't you open up your heart and let me come back in!"_ She sent out her musical plea knowing that she had already welcome Dwayne back into her own heart. She could only hope and pray that he would do the same.

_"Oh let's be us again."_ Dwayne hummed in response as he closed out the instrumentals of the son before sliding over as Loretta rounded the piano to slide onto the bench next to him before he carefully took her hands into his own - thanking whatever deity was listening when she allowed it - as he said "Let's be us, again."

"I figured I'd find you here." Loretta offered, cryptically, leaving Dwayne to wonder where she was going with all this.

"Yeah, well ... " Dwayne began awkwardly. "I was just ... " He rambled on, looking down - ashamed - as he fidgeted, slightly while gliding his hands across the keys of the piano. He was always better with music than he was with talking about his feelings. But if talking about his feeling was what it took to fix things with the woman he loved, he would talk all night. "Tryin' to do everything I could to avoid ya ... " He muttered, looking off into the distance. "So, I just ... Obviously failed miserably." And, didn't that cut her to the quick - knowing that she had pushed the man she loved away so hard that he felt the need to avoid her.

"You think I'm still mad at you, don't you?" Loretta asked, gently. She hated having reduced the Dwayne Pride she'd known and loved for so many years down to little more than a self-deprecating shell of the strong and independent man he'd once been. And she knew she had to fix things quickly. Before Dwayne thought they _couldn't_ be fixed.

"Aren't ya?" Dwayne asked, quietly, finally chancing a glance into Loretta's eyes.

As much as she'd one thought it would, being angry with Dwayne and blaming him for Danny's abduction would make the situation somehow easier to deal with, she'd been so horribly wrong. It had - in fact - made the situation all the more difficult to bear. And, deep down, she supposed she'd known that would happen, all along. Her one rock that's always clung to wasn't there for her to lean on. And why? Because she'd up and thrown that rock out of the window. "No, I ... " She began, quietly, fidgeting with her hands. "I was ... Must have been the maddest I've ever been, I admit."

"I know, I saw." Dwayne replied on a gruff whisper. Loretta didn't begrudge him that voice or the guarded look in the man's eyes. She'd said some truly awful things to him - things she'd _known_ would hurt him, deeply, despite how false she'd known them to be. Things she deeply regretted as she cast her gaze to the floor. "Look, Loretta ..." Dwayne continued, carefully. "I'm sorry-"

"You _saved_ Danny, Dwayne!" Loretta interjected, firmly. She couldn't let Dwayne apologize when she'd been the one in the wrong. "Honestly, I don't think anyone else _could have_." Because no one else cared like Dwayne 'King' Pride did. "So, don't you dare be sorry." She added, looking straight into his piercing blue eyes.

"But, _because_ of me ..." Dwayne countered, holding her gaze, carefully. "Danny ran off, hot-headed, tried to do it _all_ by himself ... Just like you said. You were right." He went on, his voice growing thick as he attempted to speak around the lump of emotion forming in his throat.

"Yeah, but-" Before she could finish her thought, Dwayne cut her off.

Dwayne may have done some stupid things in his past. But he always at least knew when he was in the wrong. "Loretta, you know as well as I do that just because it all worked out doesn't mean that everything's... _okay_." He interjected, firmly, holding out his hands to keep her from interrupting. He had to get this out. A moment of heavy silence stretched between them.

Sensing that she would not be interrupted again, Loretta broke the silence. "You're a good man, Dwayne." She spoke with a quiet sincerity even as Dwayne looked to the floor. "It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you." She added, because she needed him to know that she still loved him. "And you're also a good _father_ and Danny's _lucky_ to have you in his life." She went on, fighting back the tears, once more. "And ... you should _never_ minimize that! Plus! Because of who you are, that Donner? He's in _jail_ now!" Loretta would never stop making sure that Dwayne remember all of the good that he did in the world. "And, that's a **good** thing!"

"I know." Dwayne muttered, quietly. "I _know_ it is, I just ... " He added, hanging his head. "You don-" His voice cut out as he searched for the words. "I lost myself, again." After a moment, he added. "Loretta, in - in my ... doin' whatever it is that I think I have to do to make things right - like I did with Hamilton and with the others - I just don't know _why_!" He admitted, desperately.

Loretta empathized with him. She understood his drive to do what he felt was right and how it sometimes led him to do things that other may frown upon. But she still respected his motivations. After a moment of silent contemplation, she asked "So, whatchu gonna do about it?"

Looking into Loretta's eyes, Dwayne thought about the answer to her question. "Well, first thing I was hopin' to do ... was to make sure things were okay between me and a certain wonderful woman who happens to be very dear to me."

"Oh, Dwayne." Loretta smiled, softly, caressing his cheek, tenderly. "We are so much _more_ than okay!" She assured him, gently. "Ya know, _I_ actually came here to apologize to _you_." 

"To _me_?" Dwayne questioned, pointing to himself. "What the hell do you have to be sorry for?"

"I said some terrible things to you - things that I _knew_ would hurt you." The medical examiner replied, regretfully. "I can think of a million excuses-" 

"No." Dwayne cut off her apology. "No, you had every right to be upset! Our son had just been taken! And you were absolutely right about Danny lookin' up to me-"

"And, I thank _**God**_ each and every single _day_ that Danny has someone like you _to_ look up to!" Loretta interjected with resolute sincerity. "I really do, Dwayne! I just let myself be angry with you so I wouldn't have to own up to the reality of the situation and my own feelings of helplessness!" She elaborated, hanging her head in shame.

"You had every _right_ to be upset!" Dwayne reiterated, softly, as he cradled her face in his hands.

"Perhaps." Loretta conceded, quietly. She always did melt when Dwayne treated her to his soft and tender side. "But I let my anger push away the one person I needed the most to see me through this storm." She elaborated, shakily.

"Loretta, darlin' ... " Dwayne replied, softly, with a tender smile. "I know I was MIA while I was trying to get Danny back." He admitted, quietly. "And, yes, I may have been avoiding you ..." Watching the hurt that flashed through Loretta's eyes at his words, he added "But, I ain't goin' anywhere. You ain't lost anything. I just stayed away to let you cool off while hoping you'd welcome me back when you were ready." He smiled, shyly. "I'll always be there when ya need me." 

"I know that, Dwayne." Loretta replied with a watery smile. "But, I do feel I owe you an apology. I was _completely_ out of line in how I treated you, Dwayne. I was angry and scared and I was deliberately trying to hurt the person I blamed for what happened to Danny and there is absolutely no excuse for that." 

Dwayne just regarded the woman he loved with a fond, contemplative smile before replying. "I'll tell ya what ..." He began, cheekily. "I'll forgive you on two conditions."

"Mm." Loretta hummed, thoughtfully, with a cheeky grin. "And, what might those be?"

"Number one." Dwayne began, turning to face her fully. "You have to forgive me." He added, seriously.

"Oh, Dwayne." Loretta smiled, gently. "You know that i already have."

"And number two ... " Dwayne smiled, pulling his phone out of his pocket. After swiping through a few screens, he found what he was looking for. Slow music began to fill the room as he rose from his seat before placing the phone on the piano as he extended his other hand to Loretta. "May I have this dance?" He asked. Loretta just smiled as she took the proffered hand as she rose form her seat as the voice of Brad Paisley began to fill the room.

* * *

_The bar was empty | I was sweeping up the floor | That's when she walked in | I said I'm sorry but we're closed_

* * *

Dwayne pulled Loretta close before wrapping his arms around her waist while she draped hers over his shoulders. The music played as they swayed around the empty bar, together. As they swayed, the two lovers shared tender smiles as they kept their eyes locked on one another, blissfully unaware of their growing audience, outside.

* * *

_And she said I know | But I'm afraid I left my purse | I said I put one back behind the bar | I bet it's probably yours_

* * *

Outside the TruTone, a group of federal agents stood, peering through the window of the empty bar. Christopher LaSalle watched the dancing couple with a mischievous grin to match the expression on his friend and colleague, Tammy Gregorio's, face. Sonja Percy just watched in surprise at her boss and friend's moves. Sebastian Lund looked awkward and uncomfortable. Patton Plame just grinned as they all watched the scene unfolding before them.

"It's about damn time!" LaSalle grinned.

"Agreed." Gregorio smiled.

"Damn." Percy cursed, impressed. "Check out the moves on Pride!"

"I don't really think we should be watching this!" Sebastian added, nervously.

"Nobody's makin' you stay!" Patton replied, snidely. "Damn! Git it, Pride!"

* * *

_And the next thing that I knew | There we were lost in conversation | Before I handed her her purse | I said you'll only get this back on one condition_

* * *

As he spun the woman he loved around the old wooden dance floor, Dwayne just smiled as he thought about the journey that had brought them to this moment. God knows they've seen more than their fair share of ups and downs. But he knew - as long as they had each other - they could weather any storm. He didn't know what he'd done to earn someone as wonderful as Loretta Wade. But he would spend every day of the rest of his life doing whatever he could to be a man worthy of her love.

* * *

_And we danced | Out there on that empty hardwood floor | The chairs up and the lights turned way down low | The music played we held each other close_

* * *

Loretta smiled as she held Dwayne close to her. Laying her head on his shoulder, she thought about the journey that had brought them here. She counted her lucky stars for having the love and devotion of a man like Dwayne Pride. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve it but one thing was for certain. She would never stop being thankful for it.

* * *

_And from that moment | There was never any doubt | I had found the one | That I had always dreamed about_

* * *

As he thought about what he'd been planning before everything that had happened, with their last investigation, he'd thought about how he'd hoped to do it. But, now, with the woman he loved in his arms after nearly losing her for good ... with their song playing ... he couldn't think of a better way. "You remember the first time we danced to this song?" He asked, gently, trying to hide the nervousness he felt.

"Mmmm." Loretta hummed, happily, closing her eyes as she relived the memory in her mind. "Yes, I do ... You had just bought this place and it was my first time coming to see the work you were doing to fix it up." Loretta smiled.

Dwayne smiled at the memory. "You left your purse behind when you left and I could resist pulling this out when ya came back for it." He replied, as he stopped dancing and took a step back. "And I was just thinking that it was just as perfect for this." He added, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket.

"Dwayne?" Loretta questioned, carefully. "What are you doing?"

* * *

"Did I miss it?!" Danny Malloy asked, breathlessly, as he finally caught up to the rest of the group at the TruTone after having seen Emily off.

"Miss what?" Gregorio asked, curious as to what had the young sailor so excited.

* * *

_And then on evening | When she stopped by after work | I pulled a diamond ring out of the pocket of my shirt_

* * *

"Loretta ..." Dwayne began, carefully, slowly getting down onto one knee as he presented Loretta with a rose gold engagement ring with a three-stone setting with three round cut diamonds surrounded in a halo setting. "After my divorce, I never thought I'd find someone I could love so completely that could stand by my side and support me in my dedication to the job. And I know you always said you'd never get married. But I was never happier than I was the moment you first kissed me. And so much else has changed in our lives ... They may call me 'King' but we all know that every good king needs an even better queen standing by his side. Would you be my queen and would you do me the enormous honor of making me the happiest man alive and would you marry me?"

* * *

"Oh, no, he _didn't_!" Percy gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

"Why do you guys think I put in for shore leave?" Danny asked, smugly. "And why do you think I waited before calling my mom to let her know I was home?"

"Wait a minute!" Sebastian interjected, shocked by the sudden turn of events.

"You _knew_ Pride was planning this?" LaSalle asked, mirroring his friends' shock.

"And, you didn't tell us?!" Gregorio asked, incredulously, mock glaring at the young sailor.

"What can I say?!" Danny replied, shrugging lightly. "Pride wanted it to be a surprise! _I_ only knew about it because he asked for my blessing, first."

"Old school." Patton grinned. "I like it."

* * *

Upon hearing Dwayne's speech, Loretta stepped over to where Dwayne had left his phone. Tapping the screen, she paused the music. Looking down at the man that she loved, she considered his words. True, she had once decided she would never tie herself down in marriage. But she's also once decided she would never be a mother. Now, she was the proud mother of an American sailor. And she'd also thought - once upon a time - that she and Dwayne would never be more than very dear friends. Before she knew it, her eyes were misting up with happy tears as she knew she'd made her decision. Pressing play, she walked back over to where Dwayne still knelt on one knee, waiting for her answer.

* * *

_And as her eyes filled up with tears | She said this is the last thing I expected | And then she took me by the hand_

* * *

"Dwayne, you know this was the very last thing I would have ever expected - especially tonight, after everything that has happened, recently." Loretta smiled. "But, you know as well as I do what's coming, next." She added, before taking Dwayne's hand as she sang the next line of the song. _"And said I'll only marry you on one condition."_ Dwayne just smiled as he pocketed the ring as he rose to his feet to dance to the rest of their song with his future wife.

* * *

_And we danced | Out there on that empty hardwood floor | The chairs up and the lights turned way down low | The music played we held each other close | And we danced | Like no one else had ever danced before_

* * *

Percy just squealed excitedly as she wiped the happy tears from her eyes. "And, here we were, just hoping they wouldn't break up and make things weird at work." Gregorio grinned, watching the surprise engagement. LaSalle and Patton just smiled as they watched their friends dancing together while poor Sebastian was left watching in befuddled shock. Danny just smiled with the relief that stemmed from knowing that his mother was finally getting the happy ending that she so richly deserved.

* * *

_I can't explain what happened on that floor | But the music played we held each other close | And we danced | Yeah, we danced_

* * *

As the music came to a close, Dwayne smiled as he pulled the ring out of his pocket before slipping it onto Loretta's finger. Loretta just smiled as she took a moment to admire the ring. "I can't thank you, Loretta."

"No, Dwayne." Loretta smiled as she looked up at the man she loved. "Thank _you_!" She corrected, gently. "But I just have to ask ..." She began with a smirk. "As perfect as all this was ... Between the song and the dance ... How long have you been planning this?" She wondered, curiously.

"A few months." Dwayne shrugged. "But, in all honesty, this was nothin' like what I had originally planned." He added, sheepishly, as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, I can always do it again if you want the big romantic proposal I had planned." He offered.

"Don't you dare!" Loretta grinned as she threw her arms around his neck and held him close. "This was _perfect_ , Dwayne!" She whispered, in his ear. As she released him, she added "The only thing that could have made it any more perfect would have been if the team and Danny were here to celebrate with us." 

"Well ... " Dwayne drawled, as he turned toward the window, he grinned as he made his way toward the door. "If I know our team the way I _think_ I do ... " He added, gripping the door handle. "I _think_ I could arrange that." He supposed, throwing the doors to the TruTone wide open.

Curiously, Loretta stepped outside the doors. Looking around, her face broke out into an ear-to-ear grin as she saw her son and her work family looking like they'd just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "I might have known ... " She drawled, smiling.

"To be fair ... " Percy began, holding her hands up, defensively. "Danny, here, was the only one that knew what was gonna happen!"

"Yeah, we were just gonna check on Pride before going to check on you and Danny." Gregorio added.

"Danny?" Loretta questioned, quirking an eyebrow, at her son. "Is that true? ... Did you know what Dwayne had planned?!"

Danny just smiled, sheepishly, as he looked to his mom. "Dwayne wrote to me while I was at sea and asked for my blessing and he swore me to secrecy so he could surprise you."

"Well ... " Loretta smiled, drawing her future husband close. "Mission accomplished." She smiled, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Does this mean I'm off the hook for not calling when I got home?" Danny asked, sheepishly. "I was just waiting for Dwayne to tell me that he'd popped the question."

"I suppose." Loretta replied, reluctantly. "But, _**only**_ this time!"

"Congratulations, you guys!" Gregorio smiled.

"We're real happy for both you guys!" LaSalle grinned, clapping Pride on the shoulder before planting a kiss to Loretta's cheek.

"LaSalle's right!" Sebastian smiled, in agreement.

"I can't think of two people more deserving of this happiness than the two of you!" Patton smiled, fondly.

"Thank you, guys!" Dwayne smiled, grateful for all the wonderful people was lucky enough to be surrounded by. "Whaddaya say we all go out to celebrate?!" He added, invitingly.

"Absolutely!" Gregorio accepted, eagerly.

"Count me in!" LaSalle grinned, excitedly.

"Hell _**yeah**_!" Percy smiled.

"I'm in!" Sebastian readily accepted the invite.

"Oh, you _know_ Triple P is _always_ down for a party!" Patton cheered.

"Let's do it!" Danny smirked.

Dwayne and Loretta both just smiled as they watched their friends and family chatter about where to go to celebrate their engagement. Both of their lives had taken a lot of twists and turns that neither of them had ever expected. But, seeing where it had brought them ... They both knew neither of them would change a thing!

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift to my wonderful friend and beta, Kelley. I hope you like it!


End file.
